Gas and coke, plant apparatus



March 5, 1929. F. D. MARSHALL GAS AND COKE, PLANT APPARATUS 1926 5Sheets-Sheet Filed April lO [IIILIIIIIIIIIIIIII i u a ATTORN EY Marh 5,1929. F. D. MARSHALL GAS AND COKE, PLANT APPARATUS Filed April 10, 19265 Sheets-Sheet ENTOR @fact Maw/%/ma ATTORNEY March 5', 1929. F. DMARSHALL y GAS AND COKE, PLANT APPARATUS Filed April 10, 1926 5Sheets-Sheet 5 1. fl imma March 5, 1929, F, D, MARSHALL 1,704,094

GAS AND COKE, PLANT APPARATUS Filed April. 10, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 @Jewaff-f f March 5, 1929. F. D. MARSHALL GAS AND COKE, PLANT APPARATUSFiled April l0, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR Hw: derz'c facan Maia/2q ZMpg/ff' ATTORNEY f Patented Mai'. 5, 1929.

PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK DEACON MARSHALL, OF WEYBBIDGE, ENGLAND.

GAS AND COKE, PLANTAPPARAT'US.

Application illed April 10, 1926. ySerial No. 101,073.

'I'his invention relates to apparatus for simultaneous productionofcarbonaceous gas and water gas.

In the accompanying drawings `illustrating the principle of thisinvention in the best mode now known to me of applying that principle. y

Fig. 1 is a vertical, central section of the retort structure at line1-1 of Fig. 3 show; ing a pair of top feed screws in elevation and:

illust-rating by arrows the direction of fuel under carbonization and byother arrows the upward ascent of gas. The view also shows coke in theprocess of discharge from the under end of the retort.

Fig. 2 isa transverse section of the upper feeding casing structure atline 2 2 of Fig. 1 and shows the feed casing with a charge ofhydrocarbonaceous material, such as bituminous coal, within the casing.Y

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the retort casing proper andshows the relations of the cells for containing material to becarbonized, to the gas'tubes or ducts.

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate another form of the invention, Fig. 4 being avertical central section of the retort structure at line 4--4 of Fig. 7and Fig. 5 being a vertical central section at line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the upper feed casing and withchargelin place, at line 6-6 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 7 is a transverse section of the retort at line 7--7 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 illustrates another form of cellular retort casing properconstruction and wherein material to be carbonized is shown in place invertical cells and wherein also gas ducts are shown.

Fig. 9 is a cross section at line 9 9 of Fig. 1 and shows the locationof the gas outlets at the upper end portions of the gas tubes.

Fig. 10 is a vertical, central section of the shaft supporting glandstructure with a feed 45 screwy shaft partially shown. y

Fig. 11 is a cross-section of what is shown in Fig. 10 at line 11-11 ofFig. 10.

Figs. 12, 13 and 14 are views of a feed screw shaft reducing gear.

Fig. 15 is an elevation of plant apparatus embodying this invention.

Fig. 16 is :xn-elevational plan of what is shown in Fig. 15, partly incross-section at line 16-16 of Fig. 15.

Fig. 17 is a diagrammatic view of flo sheet illustrating the methodinvolved in the use of the apparatus illustrated in Figs. 15 and 16. Italso contains diagrammatic .illustrations of resultant products.A

The illustrated apparatus is one form of apparatus for working my newmethod of mixed carbonaceous gas and coke production not herein claimed,but claimed in my application Ser. No. 101,074,1iled April 10, 1926, andof even date herewith.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 is the retort casingfproper wherein thematerial to be gasified is contained. 2 isthe head casing; 2 are a pairof non-contacting feed screws which may either overlap or receive theperiplieries of the helices just clearing each other; 3 are the gasducts shown as connected by cross webs to the inner sides of the retortcasing. It will be noted that these ducts have gas escape openings attheir upper end portions. Their tops are closed but they are open `attheir under. ends. The chargel receiving cells 3 are open both at topand bottom. The cell walls are indicated by 3*. All the duct orpassageway walls are connected by webs w. The retort casing 1 isenclosed by a spaced apart vcombustion or heating chamber wall 3".`

To prevent coal or other material passing down the gas ducts, the opentopo each is fitted with a cover or stopper S above the gas duct escapeslots s.

4 is the expansion joint shown in this ease at the bottom end of thereto'rt casing and formed by an annulus which encloses the lower endofthe retort cas-ing 1 with a space between the exterior of the casingwall and the interior wall of the annulus. This space is filled'with aSuitable packing 4*; 5 is the coke receptacle wh-ich forms the frameworkof balanced flap doors 6 shown attached to a rocker shaft `6, the endsoit-*which are provided with counterweights 7 for closing andmaintaining the doors in a closed position. 8 are the twin screw shafts;9 is the gas outlet; 10 is the inlet for material under course ltf oftreatment; 11 are gas-tightsup orting p glands from which the screwsdepen 12 is the turning gear which has been spe eially designed for thepresentpurpose and which is conneetible with an electric motor M bywhich a motor speed of 1000 revolutions per minute is reduced by meansot the arrangement to give the feed screws a rotational speed of from 6to 10 revolutions per hour.

The cross section for a retort 1 shown in Fig. 8 is merely another torniof the cellular construction above described.

According to my present invention, the plurality of screws do not passthrough the body of the retort casing the same as described in myco-pending application Ser No. 101.074 tiled April 10. 1926. but thescrew propellers are situated in a separate, casing which is attached tothe upper end ot the retort casin; r proper which latter casing isheated by the described method ot' copending application Ser. No.101.074. tiled April 10. 1926. for the purpose of carbonizing, gasilyingand coking the material passing through the retort: whereas the casingcontaining the screws is situated outside the zone of heat.

The short screws in the upper. non-heated casing 1 act as collectors ofthe material and propellers of the same to force the material which isfed by these screws or propellers downwards into and through verticalducts ofthe heated body ofthe retort casing proper or lower section,where the material undergoes earbonization or gasification, said lowersection is the heatable. coal distillation structure of the apparatus.

The experience has been gained by the inventor to etl'ect lowtemperature carbonization at a temperature ranging between 900"-l200oFall. that the thickness of the material under the process ofcarbonizat'ion or gasification must not exceed four and onehalt' inchesand that provision must be made for applying this heat to all four sidesof the material.

As the density of the resultant coke from the .material is entirely duenot to temperature but to vthe expansion of the material While in asemi-carbonized or semi-plastic condition and as this expansion exerts agreat force, provision must be made that the walls of the ducts throughwhich the material is forced by the pressure and also the screws totravel are of sutlicient strength to withstand the great pressure.

The bore ot' the upper head casing 2 and ol' the lower carbonizingsection is practically the same, and when both are soon empty they willrepresent a true bore from end to end of both sections when littedtogether.

The bore of the upper section is titled by the two screws which can beof the overlapping but noncontacting type, or the screws need notoverlap but just clear each other.

The bore of the lower casing or retort proper is. however, sub-dividedin `horizontal and vertical alignment by a number of radically ortransversely disposed and the lengthwise extending webs :r: and integralduct walls. but so that. the ducts enclosed by the metal do not exceedapproximately four and one-half inches in cross sectional dimension. Therate ol' the ftow ot' heat through coal is about one inch per hour andpractically and commercially considered` it is highly desirable that thecross section of the ducts should not be over about tour and onehalfinches along the intermediate portions dot the ducts. where the act ivedistillation of the coal takes place. adjacent and above the lowerportions ot the ducts` where the coking is pro- `gressively ell'ectcd.

These radial and transverse webs are an integral part ofthe retorteasing itself, heilig cast as part of the same; and by reason oftheconductivity of cast iron, and by molecular atlinity ot' the iron theheat applied to the exterior of the. retort is conducted through all thetransverse and radially disposed members and is so imparted to thematerial which tills the retort cells or ducts during its passagethrough the same.

'l`he said cells or ducts need not necessarily be ol' the samecross-sectional area or shape as they may be so shaped as to produceslabs ot' coke'. bearing always in mind the four and one-hall inchescondition: or they may be disposed in honeycomb (Fig. 8) form or thepurpose ot' producingr a briquette like form ol' coke.

'lhe said members or walls forming the. cells or duets are locatedbetween the outer casing and inner hollow gas ducts for aiding t herapid withdrawal ofthe evolved gases from the retort, 'and have nothingto do with the heating of the same.

During the evolution ot the gases, the gas outlet is under the influenceof minus atmospheric pressure owing to the action ofthe gas exhauster,not shown but diagrammatically indicated.

The evolved gases find their way to their outlet through the centres ofthe charges of material as, owing to the pressure exerted on all sidesby the expansion ot' the charges during carbonization, very little or nogas can lind its way up between the outer sides ot the charges and theinner surfaces ol the containing cells or ducts.

The coal and gas ducts being open at each end are naturally susceptibleto the exhauster suction on the interior ot' the retort generally and asthe evolved gases seek to leave the centres of the charges by the pathoffering the least resistance, it is open for these gases to leavepartly direct through the upper portion of the charges or partly throughthe lower ends of the gas ducts, and the arrows in the drawing show theapproximate paths the lll) -the duets, are provided at their upper endportions adJacent the members S with gas escape ports s.

Much value is attached to these duct-s as the easier and with lessresistance the gases can escape, the `chances of their being cracked7 orsplit up is greatly lessened.

To increase the through-putcapacity of the. rel ort` the. divisions oi'webs a' in the retort may be disposed in an annular manner and, providedall divisions are connected physically with the outer, inner wall of theretort, the carbonizatioii of the interior columns of material, coal orcoke will be as equally well effected as in the outer columns ofmaterial, coal or coke.

The power exertedby the co-acting feed screws 1n the upper casing on themass of material forced throughthe lower casing is enormous andprovision has to be 1made to eject the charge of carbonized coke fromthe casino' automatically and continuously before the pressure on thematerial leads to destructive consequences.

According to the resent form of my invention this is effected y theinstallation, at the lower end of the lower casing or section 1, of acoke box or receptacle within which a pair of flap doors are installedwoikingon hinges;

and which, when in a horizontal condition,

close the bottom of the superimposed casing in a practically gas ti htmanner as the edges of the flaps are bevel ed to the same angle as thetapering sides ofthe coke box or receptacle against which they contact,so that the foot of the columns of coke in the casing rest on the flapswhich are kept in position by a lever attached to each Hap which leversare c`ontrolled by weights or springs.

The desired pressure to be exerted by the co-acting screws on the chargeof material to force the same through the lower casing, having beenascertained, the levers are weighted accordingly so that when thepressure on the charge reached a certain point the flaps are forced openand a portion of the charge in the forni of coke is ejected into thegas-tight box or receptacle below the flaps. lVhen the pressure beingrelieved, the weight on the levers causes the flaps to return to ahorizontal position.

At intervals the coke receptacle is opened and the coke removed during.which period the revolution of the eo-acting screws may be stoppedandthe flaps held up to insure against the entering of air into theretort casg'l`he design of the flap doors 6 may be varied and instead ofhin ing them on their long sides they may be hinged on their short sidesin eithercase being controlled by the outside levers fitted with eitherweights or springs.

The flap doors 6 are merely one form of cokev escape control apparatusfor also offering a resistance to the downward feeding pressure and loado f the coal in its initial conditiomin its active distillation anddition, and in it-s progressive'coking inthe lower portionof eachdistillation duct.

i The density of the coke can be varied by the amount of pressure it issubjected to during its formation in the retort and thiscontrollablevariation of pressure is another feature of my invention.

To take up the expansion of the retort in a vertically longitudinaldirection, ityis pi'or posed to intervene either between the uppernon-heatedcasing or the lowernon-heated section represented by the cokereceptacle a i loose joint of any desired construction.

Each gland 11 comprises an upstanding, annular capped casing to whichthe reference 11 is applied. The casing has a bottom that is solidexcept for a central shaft opening through which a shaft 8 extendsupwardly through the fixed cover plate 13 of casing 2, and upwardlythrough the fixed cover 14 of casing 11 for reception of members of thet.urning\gear 12. Vithin the gland casing, there is at its bottomportion a pair of discshaped ball races 15 between which anti-frictionballs 16 are located, the shaft passing through the races and upwardlythrough a piston 17 provided with piston rings 18. The piston is pinnedto the shaft by pins 19 and as a length less than the distance betweenthe upper race 18 and the gland casing cover, leaving a clear s ace 20into which the piston may ascend on e ongation of the shaft due to heat.Each screw is suspended from its piston which normally rests on theupper race. The bottom of the gland casing is provided with a packing paround the screw shaft and the gland asta whole is gas-tight andconstitutes a gas-tight, anti-friction screw suspending mechanism thatpermits endwise movement of the suspended screw.

The turning gear or driving mechanism which is fixed on the upper casingcover, although it may be otherwise supported, in eludes an addition tothe gear 12 which is a spur gear, one on the upper, end of each screwshaft, an intermediate spur gear Q1 in mesh with gears l2. Gear 2Q ismounted on the upper end portion of a vertical stub shaft Q3 and drivesthe screw shafts siii'iultaneously in the same direct-ion. Stub shaftE23 also carries a worm gear 24 in mesh with a worm .-25 on a horizontalshaft 26 which is provided with a worm gear 27. This worin gear is inmesh with an intermediate worm gear 28 which in turn is in mesh with aworm 29 on as evolving conthe shaft 30 of a motor M. This driving gearserves to reduce a motor speed of about 1000 revolutions per minute to ascrew rotational speed of from six to ten revolutions per hour, as abovestated. i The Stoppers S at the upper ends of the gas tubes are fixed inplace, thus preventing entrance? of the materialinto the gas tubes orp'assageways; but the gas exit portst are tcoft'inuously open,so 'thatthe. generated gas iiiaycontinuously escape therethrough, into ithe'communicating space i" and then to the Xit. 9,' while the rctortingoperationis active. The rocker shaft (3 mounted in openings of thewallof the receiver 5 for coke or other residue of distillation. extendsat both ends outwardly of the receiver. Each end has a dependent arm 6for reception of one or more removableweights 7, two of which are shownon each arm.` The weights may be incl-'eased or dinlinished in numberaccording to the character of the' material to be treated. Receiver 5 ispractically air-tight and is pro` vided with an opening 5a through whichthe residue of distillation may be removed from time to time. Theopening is shown provided with a door 5b. y

The approximately fiat-sided screw casing having arcuate walls, between`each two flattened walls, is a feature of the invention. ThearcuateWallsare closely adjacent and partially enclose opposed portions of thefeed screw helices while the flattened sides, which are opposed to theoverlap or overhang ofthe helices, affords greater space for materialbeing fed than would bethe case if the casings were of across-sectionally figure-8 contour. The combustion chamber C is for heatap# plied during the retorting operation which may be a low temperatureoperation for which the apparatus is especially intended.

The intake 10 is provided, in practice, with a gas-tight charging device10a of any desired construction. The charging devicevis yhereinindicated diagramlmitically. In operation, succeeding initial charging,charge arresting and carbonization, the feed screws may be drivencontinuously and the charge arresting doors may be continuously openedfor either partial, momentary interruption of escape, or, for continuousescape, of the coke into the coke box, with the bok door closed toprevent inrush of air, all depending on the character of the materialtreated and the desire of the operator.

The described arrangen'ient for disposition of the descending materialin a plurality of relatively small, cross-sectional and relatively thinwalled, lengthwise extending ducts and forl simultaneous ascent ofevolved gas through the corresponding gas ducts, insures a perfection ofcarbonization or distillation attended by maximum evolution by gas fromthe material.

Evolution and removal of the gas is continuous. The charging operationmay be continuous or intermittent depending on the type of chargingapparatus used. The discharge of the coke vinto the coke box iscontinuously effected by the automatically intermittent wabbling of theflap doors 6.

In Fig. 5, the gas escape 9 is shown discharging into a diagrammaticallyillustrated exhauster 9. The exhauster connection is sufiicient inpractice to effect the ascent of gas into thc'escape 9, notwithstandingthe pressure on the charge between the feed screws and fiap door. Someof the ascending gas escapes from fissures in the coke and some of itfrom material M thereabove.

During the working of a water gas generator, as is well understood, thegenerator is filled with carbonaceous material such as coke and raisedto incandescence by means of an air blast, technically called the blowperiod. Vhen the proper degree of incandescence is reached, the blast orblow is shut off and steam is passed through the heated material, thisoperation being` termed the run period. The interaction between thesteam and the incandescent carbon generates the water gas which is amixture composed principally of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. During theoperation of manufacturing water gas, three sources of heat aredeveloped apart from the heat which can be generated by burning thewater gas itself. These three sources of heat have heretoforeprincipally been regarded as waste heat and are as follows 1) thesensible heab of the blow gas; (2) the heat generated by the combustionof the carbonmonoxide constituent ofthe blow gas, and (3) the sensiblehe'at of the water gas, and one of the objects of the present inventionis to utilize the three aforesaid sources of heat in connection with thedistillation of solid carbonaceous or other materials before they areallowed to pass to the chimney ory stack.

Experiments have shown that the heat generated or obtained from thethree aforesaid sources is sufiicient to etfect the distillation ofcarbonaceous materials.

According to one feature of the present invention, the hot blow gas isconveyed from the water gas generator with as little loss as possible ofits so-called sensible heat and together with a supply of pre-heatedair, is admitted to a combustion chamber composed of refractory materialand which surrounds a retort within which a process of low or me dium,distillation is to be carried on. A combustible mixture is thus producedwherein the sensible heat of the blow gas is added to the heat derivedfrom the combustion of the blow gas itself.

Another feature of this invention is to employ the hot Water gas forsteam raising purposes or partial steam raising by passing the samethrough a heat interchanger, the heat generated in the heat interchangerbeing employed, for example, in raising the temperature of the watersupplied to the interchanger which water may, be employed in an adjacentboiler, for raising steam and at the same time cooling the hot watergas.

As the process of producing blow gas and water gas is intermittent, twowater gas generators, may, if desired, be employed for alternate use.

During the blow period of gas generation and owing to the considerablepressure of the air employed for the blast or blow which air passesthrough the incandescent coke in the water gas generator a lquantity ofhot ashes, cinders and dust are carried away with the blow gas andnormally are deposited in the neighborhood of the generator.Furthermore, the heat of the said ashes, representing about two percentof the heatof the fuel 1(coke) with which the generator is fed is ost.

According to another feature of the present invention, and in caseswhere blow gas is ignited in a combustion chamber for the purpose oftreating carbonaceous or other materials, the blow gas, before enteringthe combustion chamber is passed through a socalled cyclone dustarrester. A suitable/form of dust arrester consists of a cylindricalchamber with a conical lower part, the gases containing the cinders anddustbeing caused to enter the upper cylindrical part thereof at atangent to the periphery of the cylinder, whereby a whirling orcentrifugal motion is imparted to the entering gases. Consequently thedust and cinders are thrown against the sides of the chamber and, bygravity, fall to the bottom thereof where they may pass through a pipeor passage into a water sealed tank from which they are raked out fromtime to time.

According to a further feature of the present invention, and in caseswhere it is desired ,to ignite and utilize the blow gas in the aforesaidmanner, use is made of the heat of the cinders and dust which pass intothe dust extractor to preheat the air required for `the purpose ofigniting the blow gas. .To this end an4 air inlet pipe is provided whichextends axially through the cyclone dust extractor the said airp-ipebeing surrounded by a concentrically mounted pipe or casing throughwhich the blow gas, after thedust and ashes have been separatedtherefrom passes either to the retort, the boiler or elsewhere. Owing tothis arrangement, and on account of the fact that the hot dust and ashesraise the temperature of the parts of the dust extractor to a'considerable extent, the temperature of the air is also raised to aconsiderable extent, the heating operation being further assisted by thesensible heat of the blow gas which may ow along the exterior of the airpipe until both concentrically mounted pipes enter the combustionchamber of the retort or the like.

Referring tothe plant structure, (Fig. 15), 3l is a retort stack orsnift valve structure, 232 a water gas generator, 33 a dust extractorand pre-heater, 34 the separated dust escape ort of the dust extractoror separator; 35 1s an air blower, 3,6 a motor connected with theblower, 37 the blower discharge pipe, 39 a blow gas duct,-40 asubsidiary air supp'ly duct, the blow gas duct and subsidiary air ductdischarging closely adjacent into the combustion chamber C; 41 is theunder, ver tical conduit leg of an L-shaped conduit the under end ofwhich is open within the chamber of the dust extractor or separater andthe upper horizontal leg of which is entrant into t 1e combustionchamber. The subsidiary air pipe 40 extends from the blower disvchargepipe 37 into the under portion of the dust separator 33,` thenceupwardly within `and out of contact with the dependent conduit leg 41and thence horizontally into the combustion chamber, the upper conduitleg forming the air supply duct 40 closely adjacent the closed blow gasduct 39. 42 is the steam run pipe for the water gas generator, 43 theblow gas discharge pipe from the water gas generator into the upper endof the dust extractor 33, pipe 43 entering the dust extractor, which iscircular in cross-section tangentially. 44 is the water gas escape pipefrom the chamber into a heat interchanger 45; 46 is a conduitleadingfrom the heat interchanger for conveyance of cooled water gas therefromto the junction of the pipe 46 at 47 with the carbonaceous gas escapepipe 48 that is in'connection with the gar escape pipe 9 of the' retortapparatus. The dust extractor 33 has an under end, vertical dust andcinder discharge into a water tank 49 or other suitable receptacle.

In the form,y shown, the steam run pipe 42 to the water gas generatorleads from a steam boiler, as a source of steam, which may or may not bein communication with the heat interchanger 45. This heat interchangeris shown as av vertical casing provided with interior water tubes 51into which cold water is introduced through a Supply conduit 52. Thetemperature of the watrin the tubes is raised by the sensible heat of'the hot water gas, passed into the casing through the pipe 44 and theheated water in the tubes is conducted to the steam boiler, as hot wateror steam through a feed water or steam conduit 53. The coke product P isa hard, dense coke admirably adapted for .use in water gas generation.In practice, such coke residue may be economically used in the water gasgenerator 32. f

Referring to the above and also to Fig. 14 and following figures of thedrawings, 31 is a chimney stack which in connection with a water gasplant is termed a snift valve. During the so called blow period this isopened by a lever attached to a chain; but

during the steam run period, the valve is shut so as to retain the heatof the blow in the combustion chamber.

32 is the water gas generator of which any well-known type may beselected, the sequence of operations being practically the samewhichevertype of water gas generator be employed. v t

The fuel required bythe water gas generatc r, viz coke is preferablysupplied from the retort to generator 32 which in turn supplies thenecessary heat to the retort to enable it to produce the necessary coke,the relation between the two apparatus items is thus recip-v rocal.

The coke tothe water gas generator is blown to incandescence by theturbine positive air blower 35\ which is actuated by motor 36. Airpasses to the water gas generator 32 by pipe 37 upwards through the cokecharge in the generator, bein in its passage converted b contact With te red hot carbon into so calle blow ases which are a mixture of` (aboimonoxi e (CO) and carbon dioxide Tliese gases before passing into thecombustion chamber 6 surrounding the retort enter the dust extractor 33wherein, by the cen.-

trifugal action ofthe blast, the ashes, cinders and dust in the blowgases, representing some two percent of the total heat of the fuelsupplied to the generator, are absorbed; and the cleansed gases enterthe port leading to the combustion chamber through duct 39.

The blow gases would be unignitable unless supplied withfa suiliciencyof air, preferably heated, as the hotter this air supply is the moreeffective and intense is the combustion of the combustible CO in theblow gases. Consequently, a certain quantity 0f the air representing themain blow to the water gas generator is'tapped off by la subsidiary pipe40 controlled by a valve, the pressure eX- erted by the turbine blower35 being suicient i to force this air supply through the pipe 40 whichpasses through the lower end of the gas outlet pipe 41 and extendsthrough the same. Both the main blow gas pipe 39 and the smaller airpipe `40 are entrant into the combustion chamber together, whereignition takes place; the air having picked up the heat from the ashes,cinders and dust which are scattered all over the interior of the dustextractor. i

Returning to the water gas generator, the blow period as described abovebeing finished, after say four minutes of blow, the valves controllingthe blow and likewise the cap of the chimney stack are closed. No valvesare shown or described as the working of the valves are well known andto explain in detail Well known operations would un- .necessarily A faras possible complicate both drawings and eX-i` planation. i y

The blow valves being closed, the valves operating the run (steam run)are opened and steam is admitted by pipe 42 to the generatorand travelsdownwards for four minutes or so.

A.near 1100o Fah. Temperature of av very large .volume of the'producedwater gas, in order to either raise somepounds of steam or to raise thetemperature of cold water to over the boilin point so that this watercould be used as eed water to an adjacent steam boiler.

It is necessary to cool the evolved, heated water gas to a normalatmospheric temperature before the same could e usefully employed.

Therefore, to accomplish both the cooling of the large quantity ofheated Watergas and to usefully employ the sensible heat of the same,the heated water gas is passed by pipe 44 into a so-called heatinterchanger 45 which is `by cold water which, coming into conor waterheated to over 212o can be obtained.

On 'leaving the heat interchanger, the cooled water gas passes by pipe46 tothe pipe junction`47 where it Lmeets and is mixed with vthe richcoal gas from the retortthrough the pipe 48 that communicates with thegas tout-y let 9 of the retort. Such gas through the outlet 9 andl pipe48 is in turn heated andcarbonized by the heated blow gases evolved inthe waterl gas generator 32.

In the distillation of vhydrocarbonaceous material, the products are arich coal gas; ammonia vapours.; tar oils` containing spirits. oils,'taracids of the cresol-phenol types,` paraflin'wa'x, itch containing a verylow per-r centage of ree carbon and coke.

p The quantity and quality of these products ldepends entirely on thetemperature at which the hydro-carbon selected is carbonized in thespecial retort andone object of the proces.E is to effect carbonizationat a temperature which will yield a very rich gas of about 60G-800 B. t.u.s per cubic foot and which will produce oil bearing vapours which onbeing condensed will be of the olefine or aliphatic series offparainoids and removed as rom the varomatic or benzenoid series, and toeffect this result the temperature within the retort itself must notexceed or considerably exceed some 1400 Fah. as beyond this temperaturethe benzenoid series begin to appear, and if the vte1nperature be raisedto the maximum the .retorts could stand say 1700O Falrthe ob]ectionable. naphthalene series would likewise appear.

The dust laden blow gas enters the dust separator through its circularcasing side and discharged interiorly to some extenttangentially causesthe dust laden gas to whirl violently, as indicated by arrows, the dustand cinders dropping downwardly through the under outlet port 34 into aWater tank. When the coalducts are filled and the feed screws are inaction, thev coal or other material is forced into the upper, open endsof the coal ducts and is under constant pressure downwardly to the cokedischarge control apparatus. While this apparatus permits, by vibrationof the free edges of the Hap doors on which the coke initially rests,continuous escape of the coke according to adjustments of the weights,the apparatus, nevertheless, offers such a resista-nce to the downwardpressure that the pressure densities the coke substantially and firmcoke is produced It will be observed that the heatable, metal walls ofthe coal yand gas ducts are integral and serve to conduct exteriorlyapplied heat to and through the material in the coal ducts; and thatthere is a plurality of coal ducts subjacent theunder end of each feedscrew. The integrally and metallically walled, coal ducts are raised toa temperature sufficient to render portions ofthe coal, as it is forcedcompressively 'downward from the upper end portion of the coal ducts,plastic; and int-his condition gas is freely evolved, the plasticcondition permitting the feed screw pressures to condense and solidifythe coke formed in the lower portion of the coalducts against the apdoors or gates carried b the adjustably Weighted, rocker shaft 6". ien'the appa` ratus is in operation, these Hap doors or gates are neverclosed,-but are constantly vibrating and thus permit continuousdischarge of the solidified or densified coke which, with all thesuperincumbent material in the coal duc.tsis under l.continuous downwardpres sure by the feed screws. The feed screws and their operatingmechanism-constitute, in effect, a continuously` operable pump forthecoal or other gasifiable and coke producing material.

In accordance with the present invention, as illustrated, the water gasapparatus, the dust separator and preheater, the air blower, the heatinterchanger and the steam boiler, are each a separate unit, all theseunits being installed spacedly a. art from' the retort and spacedlyapart one fiom the other. Such installationsof these separate units allof which are in the heretofore described conduit relation one to anotherandto the retort, not only permit repairs to and the substitution of oneunit for another when necessary, without shutting down the remainder ofthe plant; but also, in a very important sense, permita regulatedcontrol of the Water gas apparatus in its working connection with theretort, and such variations in the time and volumes of the water-andblow gas supply tothe retorting apparatus as may be required underactual working conditions of the gas and coke producing functions oftheretort structure.

The coal becomes plastic in a stratum or in strata where it changes intocoke. By keepinggthe in-fed coal and the coking plastic stratum orstrata under constant pressure as described, the formation of thin andfragile walled coke cells is prevented and a dense compact coke roductobtained. Such a densiication is o very great importance to the cokeproduct as it does not break up or give off coke dust as is the casewith .coarsely cellular coke. Moreover, the constant compression i'sfavorable to evolution of the gas evolving from the coking portion ofthe coal and from the coal.

What I claim is:

1. In gas and coke making apparatus, the combination of a retort; acombustion cham ber forming structure vertically' enclosing said retort;a blow gas dust and cinder separator provided with an under outlet forthe separated dust and cinders-.and having an upper, cleansed blow gasdischarge ort in conduit connection with said com ustion chamber; an airblower having an air eduction outlet in communication 4with an air pipe;the air pipe extending into, through and out of said separator into saidcombustion chamber for heating the air passing through said pipe.; and awater gas generator in communication with a blow gas pipe;

-said b low gas pipe, communicating with said separator; said structure,separator, blower and water gas generator being spaced apart onefromanother. i

' 2. In the combination set forth in claim l, said air blower being inconduit connection with said' water gas generator at a point remote fromthe connection of said blow gas pipe with said water gas generator.

3. In the combination set forth in claim 1, a heat interchanger; a watergas conduit for transfer of hot water gas from said water gas generatortosaid interchanger; a water gas conduit leading from said heatinterchanger for passage ofv cooled water gas; the interchangercomprising a casing and interior Water tubes; and a cold water supplypipe communicating with said water tubes.

4. In the combination set forth in claim 1, a heat interchanger; a watergas conduit for transfer of hot water gas from said water gas generatorto said interchanger; a Water gas conduit leading from said heatinterchanger for passage of cooled water gas; the 0f steam being inconduit connection with interchanger comprising a casing and vertical`an upper portion of the water gas generator. interior Water tubes; and acold Water sup- Signed at New York city in the county of 10 ply pipecommunicating with saidv Water `New York and State of New York this 12th5 tubes and a source of steam; `theupper ends day of March, A. D. 1926.

of the water tubes being in condutconnection with the source of steamand said source FREDERICK DEACON MARSHALL.

